JP5853952B2 - Processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for diffusing a heavy rare earth element RH (consisting of at least one of Dy and Tb) into an RTB-based sintered magnet.

R-T-B system sintered magnets mainly composed of R ₂ T ₁₄ B-type compounds are known as the most powerful magnets among permanent magnets, and include hard disk drive voice coil motors (VCM), It is used for various motors such as motors for hybrid vehicles and home appliances.

  An R-T-B sintered magnet has irreversible thermal demagnetization because its coercive force decreases at high temperatures. In order to avoid irreversible thermal demagnetization, when used for a motor or the like, it is required to maintain a high coercive force even in a high temperature range.

It is known that when the R ₂ T ₁₄ B type compound phase is replaced with a heavy rare earth element RH (consisting of at least one of Dy and Tb), the coercive force of the RTB-based sintered magnet is improved. In order to obtain a high coercive force even in a high temperature range, it has been considered effective to add a large amount of heavy rare earth element RH to the RTB-based sintered magnet.

  However, in the R-T-B based sintered magnet, replacing the light rare earth element RL (consisting of at least one of Nd and Pr) with the heavy rare earth element RH improves the coercive force while reducing the residual magnetic flux density. There is a problem of end. Further, since the heavy rare earth element RH is a rare resource, it is required to reduce the amount of use thereof.

  Therefore, in recent years, it has been studied to improve the coercive force of the sintered magnet with a smaller amount of heavy rare earth element RH without reducing the residual magnetic flux density. In the patent document 1, the present applicant has already supplied heavy rare earth elements RH such as Dy to the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body, and the heavy rare earth elements RH from the surface are RTB-based sintered. A method (vapor deposition diffusion) of diffusing inside the magnet body is disclosed. In the method disclosed in Patent Document 1, the RTB-based sintered magnet body and the RH bulk body are arranged to face each other with a predetermined interval inside a diffusion processing apparatus made of a refractory metal material. The diffusion processing apparatus includes a member that holds a plurality of RTB-based sintered magnet bodies and a member that holds an RH bulk body. In the method using such an apparatus, the step of disposing the RH bulk body in the diffusion treatment apparatus, the step of placing the holding member and the net, the step of disposing the RTB-based sintered magnet body on the net, A series of operations including a step of placing the holding member and the net thereon, a step of disposing the upper RH bulk body on the net, and a step of performing vapor deposition diffusion by sealing the diffusion processing apparatus are necessary.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a heat-resistant sealed container containing a low-boiling Yb metal powder and an RTB-based sintered magnet molded body for the purpose of improving the magnetic properties of the RTB-based intermetallic compound magnetic material. It is disclosed that it is enclosed and heated. In the method of Patent Document 2, a Yb metal film is uniformly deposited on the surface of a sintered magnet compact, and a rare earth element is diffused from this film into the sintered magnet (Example 5 of Patent Document 2).

International Publication No. 2007/102391 JP 2004-296773 A

  In the method of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to dispose the RTB-based sintered magnet body and the RH bulk body made of heavy rare earth element RH apart from each other in the diffusion treatment apparatus. For this reason, the process for arrangement | positioning takes time and there exists a problem that it is inferior to mass-productivity. Further, since Dy and Tb are supplied by sublimation, it takes a long time to increase the amount of diffusion to the RTB-based sintered magnet body and obtain a higher coercive force.

On the other hand, according to the disclosure of Patent Document 2, if the rare earth metal has a high saturated vapor pressure such as Yb, Eu, and Sm, the formation of the coating on the sintered magnet body and the diffusion from the coating can be performed in the same temperature range (for example, 800 to 850 ° C.). However, in order to coat and deposit a rare earth element having a low vapor pressure, such as Dy and Tb, on the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body, the rare earth metal is selectively selected by induction heating using a high frequency heating coil. It is necessary to heat to a high temperature. Thus, when Dy and Tb are heated to a temperature higher than that of the RTB-based sintered magnet body, it is necessary to separate Dy and Tb from the RTB-based sintered magnet body. In particular, according to the technical idea and method of Patent Document 2, since the coating of Dy or Tb is formed thick (for example, several tens of μm or more) on the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body, RT- Since Dy and Tb diffuse into the main phase crystal grains in the vicinity of the surface of the B-based sintered magnet body, the residual magnetic flux density _Br decreases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the object thereof is to reduce the heavy rare earth elements RH such as Dy and Tb from the surface of the R-T-B system sintered magnet body without reducing the residual magnetic flux density. An object of the present invention is to provide a processing apparatus suitable for mass production for diffusing.

  The processing apparatus of the present invention includes a diffusion processing section that rotates while heating an RH diffusion source and an RTB-based sintered magnet body made of a metal or alloy of heavy rare earth element RH (consisting of at least one of Dy and Tb). And a separation unit that is adjacent to the diffusion processing unit and rotates to selectively separate the RH diffusion source from the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body delivered from the diffusion processing unit. And an inclination mechanism for inclining the diffusion processing part and the separation part.

  In a preferred embodiment, the separation part has a plurality of openings for discharging the RH diffusion source to the outside, and the size of the opening is smaller than that of the R-T-B system sintered magnet body. .

  In a preferred embodiment, while the separation unit is rotated, the RTB-based sintered magnet body is sent to the diffusion processing unit, and the diffusion processing unit has moved from the separation unit. -Heat treatment is performed on the TB sintered magnet body.

  In a preferred embodiment, the diffusion processing section has a first outer wall section that houses a first inner wall section, and the separation section has a second outer wall section that houses a second inner wall section, and at least the first The inner wall portion has a cylindrical shape and is made of a metal or alloy made of at least one of Mo, W, Nb, and Ta.

  In a more preferred embodiment, a sheet-like buffer member is disposed between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion.

  In a preferred embodiment, a spiral baffle plate is provided on the inner wall portion of the diffusion processing unit, and the baffle plate of the diffusion processing unit rotates in the first direction when the RH in the diffusion processing unit. When the diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body are sent to the separation unit and rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the RH diffusion source in the diffusion processing unit and The RTB-based sintered magnet body is held in the diffusion processing unit.

  Another processing apparatus of the present invention is a diffusion that rotates while heating an RH diffusion source and an RTB-based sintered magnet body made of a metal or alloy of heavy rare earth element RH (consisting of at least one of Dy and Tb). A separation section that rotates adjacent to the processing section and the RH diffusion source adjacent to the diffusion processing section and selectively separates the RH diffusion source from the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body delivered from the diffusion processing section. And the R-T-B system sintered magnet body in which the heavy rare earth element RH is diffused in the diffusion processing unit, adjacent to the separation unit, and rotated with the RH diffusion source removed. A heat treatment part that performs heat treatment while at least the tilting mechanism that inclines the diffusion treatment part, the separation part, and the heat treatment part.

  In a preferred embodiment, the separation unit moves the RH diffusion source to the outside while moving the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body received from the diffusion processing unit to the heat treatment unit. It has a plurality of openings for discharging.

  In a preferred embodiment, the diffusion processing unit has a cylindrical first inner wall that accommodates the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body, and is rotated by the driving unit, The RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body are sent to the separation unit, and the separation unit accommodates the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body, and has an opening. A cylindrical second inner wall provided with a portion, and while being rotated by the drive unit, the RH diffusion source is discharged from the opening to the outside, and the RTB-based sintering is performed The magnet body is sent to the heat treatment part, and the heat treatment part has a cylindrical third inner wall part that accommodates the RTB-based sintered magnet body, and is rotated by the drive part while The RTB-based sintered magnet body is delivered to the discharge port.

  In a preferred embodiment, a spiral baffle plate is provided on an inner wall portion of the diffusion treatment section and the heat treatment section, and the baffle plate of the diffusion treatment section has a spiral direction with respect to the baffle plate of the heat treatment section. It is held in the opposite direction.

  In a preferred embodiment, the diffusion processing section has a first outer wall section that houses the first inner wall section, and the separation section has a second outer wall section that houses the second inner wall section, and the heat treatment The portion has a third outer wall portion that accommodates the third inner wall portion, and at least the first inner wall portion and the third inner wall portion are cylindrical and are made of at least one of Mo, W, Nb, and Ta. Made of metal or alloy.

  In a more preferred embodiment, a sheet-like buffer member is disposed between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion.

  According to the present invention, an RH diffusion source composed of a metal or alloy of heavy rare earth element RH (consisting of at least one of Dy and Tb) and a diffusion treatment section that rotates while heating an RTB-based sintered magnet body; Because it has a separation part that selectively separates the RH diffusion source, it can efficiently and smoothly produce a sintered magnet with improved coercive force without reducing the residual magnetic flux density from the RH diffusion treatment process to the heat treatment process. Can do.

It is a figure which shows the structure of embodiment of the processing apparatus by this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the cross-sectional structure of the processing apparatus in embodiment of FIG. FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a spiral baffle plate 70. FIG. 4B is a perspective view illustrating a configuration example of the baffle plate 80. (A) to (d) is a diagram showing the operation of the processing apparatus in the embodiment of FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the RTB type | system | group sintered magnet performed using the apparatus of FIG. (A) is a figure which shows the preferable form of a cross-sectional structure perpendicular | vertical to the major axis direction of the diffusion process part 10, (b) is sectional drawing which shows the preferable form of an inner wall part. It is a figure which shows the structure of another embodiment of the processing apparatus by this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the cross-sectional structure of the processing apparatus in embodiment of FIG. (A) to (d) is a diagram showing the operation of the processing apparatus in the embodiment of FIG. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the manufacturing method of the RTB type sintered magnet performed using the apparatus of FIG.

  The processing apparatus of the present invention includes a diffusion processing unit that can rotate to heat and stir the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body. Here, the RH diffusion source is made of a metal or alloy of heavy rare earth element RH (consisting of at least one of Dy and Tb). A preferred form of the RH diffusion source will be described later.

  In the diffusion processing section, heating is first performed in a state where a plurality of RH diffusion sources and a plurality of RTB-based sintered magnet bodies coexist, and the RTB-based sintered magnet body is transferred from the RH diffusion source. Is supplied with heavy rare earth element RH. The RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body charged in the diffusion processing unit are not fixed by a holding member or the like and are relatively movable. Further, the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body can move in the diffusion processing unit by the rotation of the diffusion processing unit, and can approach or come into contact with each other.

  The RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body are preferably held in a temperature range of 500 ° C. or more and 1000 ° C. or less by the heating unit while being moved close to and away from each other by rotation of the diffusion processing unit. As the diffusion processing section rotates, the RTB-based sintered magnet body and the RH diffusion source move continuously or intermittently within the diffusion processing section, so that the RTB-based sintered magnet The position of the contact portion between the body and the RH diffusion source changes, and the RTB-based sintered magnet body and the RH diffusion source repeat proximity and separation. When such a motion is continued in a heated state, the heavy rare earth element RH is supplied from the RH diffusion source to the RTB-based sintered magnet body and diffuses into the RTB-based sintered magnet body. (RH diffusion treatment process).

  In the processing apparatus of the present invention, after the RH diffusion processing step is completed, the RH diffusion source that has moved from the diffusion processing section and the RH diffusion source of the R-T-B based sintered magnet body are selectively subjected to RT. -It has the isolation | separation part isolate | separated from a B type sintered magnet body.

  The above diffusion processing unit can also be used for heat treatment of only the RTB-based sintered magnet body after the RH diffusion source is separated.

  The treatment apparatus of the present invention is supplied with heavy rare earth element RH in the diffusion treatment section, and performs a heat treatment section for performing additional heat treatment on the RTB-based sintered magnet body in which heavy rare earth element RH is diffused. May be provided. The additional heat treatment performed in the heat treatment unit is a heat treatment performed in a state where the RH diffusion source is removed. In this heat treatment, the heavy rare earth element RH supplied from the RH diffusion source to the RTB-based sintered magnet body in the diffusion processing section is further diffused deeply into the RTB-based sintered magnet body.

  In a preferred embodiment, the separation unit is an opening that selectively discharges the RH diffusion source to the outside while moving the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body delivered from the diffusion processing unit to the heat treatment unit. Has a part. By discharging the RH diffusion source in the separation unit, it is possible to smoothly shift to the next heat treatment step.

  In a preferred embodiment, the diffusion treatment unit, separation unit, and heat treatment unit of the present invention can heat an object to be treated such as an RTB-based sintered magnet body or an RH diffusion source while rotating in an inclined state. .

  In the present invention, a processing object such as an RTB-based sintered magnet body and an RH diffusion source is sequentially moved from the diffusion processing section to the separation section and from the separation section to the heat treatment section without being exposed to the atmosphere. Can be made.

(Embodiment)
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the processing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a processing apparatus in the present embodiment. The illustrated processing apparatus includes a diffusion processing unit 10 for performing RH diffusion processing and heat treatment as necessary, an RH diffusion source 2 and an RTB-based sintered magnet that have moved from the diffusion processing unit 10. A separation unit 20 that selectively separates the RH diffusion source 2 from the body 1 and sends out only the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 after the RH diffusion treatment to the diffusion treatment unit 10 as necessary. Yes. In the present embodiment, the separation unit 20 is connected to the diffusion processing unit 10. The diffusion processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20 are connected by a stamping joint. The RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 is not exposed to the atmosphere while the RH diffusion treatment step, the RH diffusion source separation step, and the heat treatment step are sequentially performed. Further, in the RH diffusion source separation step performed between the RH diffusion treatment step and the heat treatment step, since the RH diffusion source is separated without manual intervention, the separation of the RH diffusion source 2 without reducing the processing temperature. It becomes possible to perform a process. As a result, productivity from the RH diffusion treatment process to the heat treatment process is improved. Here, although the diffusion processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20 are directly coupled in FIG. 1, they may be connected via a road pipe.

  The diffusion processing unit 10 is provided with an insertion port 15. From the insertion port 15, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 before the RH diffusion treatment are introduced into the diffusion processing unit 10. The RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 that has been subjected to the RH diffusion treatment step, the separation step, and the heat treatment step is taken out from the processing port 15 to the outside of the processing apparatus.

  The diffusion processing unit 10 connected to the separation unit 20 is composed of a path pipe in FIG. 1 and is rotatably supported.

  At least one of the diffusion processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20 is provided with a tilt mechanism 50 that tilts the diffusion processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20. Due to the action of the tilting mechanism 50, the diffusion processing unit 10 and the separating unit 20 can take a horizontal or tilted state. The diffusion processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20 in the present embodiment can be inclined integrally as a whole. The diffusion processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20 can be rotated by a motor (not shown). The diffusion processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20 can rotate in both the horizontal state and the inclined state, and the direction and speed of rotation can be arbitrarily set.

  Reference is now made to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional configuration of the processing apparatus of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the diffusion processing unit 10 has a space for accommodating the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 therein, and rotates with the separation unit 20 tilted downward. By doing so, the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 can be sent to the separation unit 20. It is also possible to send the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 from the separating unit 20 to the diffusion processing unit 10 by inclining in the reverse direction. The separation unit 20 also rotates in an inclined state, so that only the RH diffusion source 2 can be efficiently discharged out of the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1.

  The material of the diffusion processing unit 10 has heat resistance that can withstand temperatures of about 500 to 1000 ° C., and at least the inner wall portion is made of a material that does not easily react with the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2. Preferably it is formed. The inner wall portion of the diffusion processing unit 10 can be formed of, for example, Nb, Mo, W, Ta metal or an alloy containing at least one of them. Alternatively, an Fe—Cr—Al alloy or an Fe—Cr—Co alloy may be used. The same applies to the separation unit 20 described later.

  FIG. 6A shows an example of a cross-sectional configuration perpendicular to the axial direction of the diffusion processing unit 10. The diffusion processing unit 10 in this example includes a cylindrical inner wall portion 14 made of the above metal or alloy, and an outer wall portion 12 that accommodates the inner wall portion 14. The outer wall part 12 is formed from stainless steel, for example. Here, since the inner wall part 14 of the diffusion processing unit 10 is set and connected so as to have the same diameter as the inner wall part 14 of the separation part 20 at least at a portion in contact with the inner wall part 14 of the separation part 20, diffusion is performed. The RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 can be moved smoothly between the processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20. Further, in order to convey the RH diffusion source 2 and the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1 to the separation unit 20, baffle plates 70, 80 as shown in FIGS. Is installed. The baffle plate is normally connected to the inner wall portion so as to follow the rotation of the diffusion processing portion. However, the baffle plate may be rotated independently without being connected to the inner wall portion.

  In this embodiment, since a temperature change close to 900 ° C. may occur before and after the start of the RH diffusion treatment operation, when the outer wall portion 12 and the inner wall portion 14 are formed from materials having different thermal expansion coefficients, the outer wall portion If the 12 and the inner wall part 14 are fixed in close contact, the outer wall part 12 and the inner wall part 14 may be peeled off due to thermal expansion or contraction, or the inner wall part 14 may be torn. When the outer wall portion 12 and the inner wall portion 14 are formed from materials having different thermal expansion coefficients, a gap is formed between the outer wall portion 12 and the inner wall portion 14 so that the outer wall portion 12 and the inner wall portion 14 do not collide. More preferably, it is provided and fixed with bolts. Furthermore, it is preferable that a sheet-like cushioning member is disposed between the outer wall portion 12 and the inner wall portion 14. This buffer member is preferably formed from a heat-resistant carbon material, a ceramic material, or a heat-resistant metal material, and may be formed from a non-woven fabric such as a heat-resistant felt.

  FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating another configuration example of the inner wall portion 14. The inner wall portion 14 shown in FIG. 6B is designed such that one end 14a and the other end 14b overlap each other at room temperature by rounding a metal plate into a cylindrical shape. The one end 14a and the other end 14b of the metal plate constituting the inner wall portion 14 are not fixed, and the degree of overlap can be changed according to thermal expansion and thermal contraction. For this reason, even if a temperature change of about 900 ° C. occurs and the outer diameter of the inner wall portion 14 changes greatly, it is effectively prevented from colliding with the outer wall portion 12. Between the outer wall portion 12 and the inner wall portion 14, the aforementioned buffer member may be further arranged.

  The cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axial direction of the outer wall 12 and the inner wall 14 of the diffusion processing unit 10 is not necessarily limited to a circle, and may be an ellipse, a polygon, or other shapes. Further, in order to promote stirring of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 by the rotation of the diffusion processing unit 10, a protrusion may be provided on the inner wall portion 14 of the diffusion processing unit 10.

  Refer to FIG. 2 again.

  In the present embodiment, a spiral first baffle plate 70 is provided inside the diffusion processing unit 10. For example, the first baffle plate 70 has a configuration as shown in FIG. When the diffusion processing unit 10 rotates in the first direction (clockwise direction when the processing apparatus is viewed from the left side of FIG. 1), the first baffle plate 70 and the RH diffusion source 2 and the R-T-B system firing are provided. The magnetized body 1 can be sent to the separation unit 20, but when rotating in the second direction opposite to the first direction, the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 are set in the interior. Can be held in. The diameter of the first baffle plate may be smaller than the inner diameter of the inner wall portion 14. In that case, the clearance between the inner wall portion 14 and the first baffle plate 70 is set so that the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 to be introduced do not leak out.

  In the example of FIG. 2, the first baffle plate 70 is provided in the diffusion processing unit 10, but the first baffle plate 70 may be disposed on the separation unit 20 side, You may arrange | position over both the isolation | separation parts 20. FIG.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the processing apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (d) and FIG.

  Hereinafter, examples of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described. First, in the present invention, an RTB-based sintered magnet body to be diffused of heavy rare earth element RH is prepared. The RTB-based sintered magnet body prepared in the present invention has a known composition. The RTB-based sintered magnet body has the following composition, for example. Rare earth element R: 12 to 17 atomic%, B (part of B may be substituted with C): 5 to 8 atomic%, additive element M (Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu , Zn, Ga, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ag, In, Sn, Hf, Ta, W, Pb, and Bi): 0 to 2 atomic%, T (mainly Fe And may contain Co) and inevitable impurities: balance

  Here, the rare earth element R is at least one element mainly selected from the light rare earth elements RL, but may contain a heavy rare earth element RH. The heavy rare earth element RH preferably contains at least one of Dy and Tb.

  However, if a large amount of heavy rare earth element RH is added at the stage of the R-T-B system sintered magnet body, the effects of the present invention cannot be fully achieved, so the R-T-B system sintered magnet body. A relatively small amount of heavy rare earth element RH can be added.

  The RTB-based sintered magnet body having the above composition is manufactured by a known manufacturing method.

[RH diffusion processing]
First, as shown in step S10 of FIG. 5, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are placed inside the diffusion processing unit 10 shown in FIG. The magnetized body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are inserted so as to be relatively movable and close to or in contact with each other. At this time, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are mixed in advance and filled with a feeder (not shown). As shown in FIG. 4A, the diffusion processing unit 10 and the separation unit 20 may have a horizontal inner wall or may be inclined.

  The RH diffusion source 2 is a heavy rare earth element RH composed of at least one of Dy and Tb or an alloy containing them. When the RH diffusion source 2 is made of an alloy, it is preferably an alloy containing 30% by mass or more of the heavy rare earth element RH. The size of the RH diffusion source 2 is smaller than that of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1.

  Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, an agitation assisting member may be used for the purpose of promoting contact between the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2. The stirring assisting member serves to make the RH diffusion source more contact with the RTB-based sintered magnet body. In addition, there is an effect of preventing chipping due to direct contact between the RTB-based sintered magnet bodies. The stirring auxiliary member is preferably a ceramic material made of zirconia, boron nitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, or a mixture thereof. A metal material made of a group element including Mo, W, Nb, Ta, Hf, and Zr, or a mixture thereof is also preferable. Since these materials are materials that do not easily react with the RH diffusion source, the effect of preventing separation of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 is particularly high. Further, the stirring auxiliary member is preferably smaller than the R-T-B system sintered magnet body and larger than the RH diffusion source.

  Next, the RH diffusion process shown in step S20 of FIG. 5 is started. This RH diffusion process is performed by heating both the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 while rotating the diffusion processing unit 10 in the state shown in FIG. At this time, it is preferable that the diffusion processing unit 10 rotates in a horizontal state. If the separation unit is in the downward direction, the rotation is performed in a direction that prevents the first baffle plate from moving to the separation unit 20.

  The shape of the RH diffusion source 2 is preferably a shape in which the contact point between the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 moves quickly as the diffusion processing unit 10 rotates. Specifically, it is preferable that a curved surface is formed on the surface of the RH diffusion source 2. Examples of a preferable shape of the RH diffusion source 2 are, for example, a spherical shape, an elliptical spherical shape, and a cylindrical shape.

  The inside of the diffusion processing unit 10 may be connected to an exhaust device such as a pump. By the action of the exhaust device, the inside of the diffusion processing unit 10 can be depressurized or pressurized while being shielded from the atmosphere (sealed state). An inert gas such as Ar can be introduced into the diffusion processing unit 10 from a gas cylinder (not shown).

  The diffusion processing unit 10 is heated by a heater (not shown). The RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 housed inside are heated by the heater. The diffusion processing unit 10 is supported so as to be rotatable around the central axis, but can be rotated by a motor during heating by the heater. The peripheral speed at the inner wall portion of the diffusion processing unit 10 is set to 0.01 m or more per second, for example. It is preferably set to 0.5 m or less per second so that the R-T-B system sintered magnet bodies are in vigorous contact with each other due to rotation and are not chipped.

  The inside of the diffusion processing unit 10 during the RH diffusion processing is preferably in an inert atmosphere. The “inert atmosphere” in this specification includes a vacuum or an inert gas. In addition, the “inert gas” is a rare gas such as argon (Ar), for example, but is chemically within the processing temperature range between the R—T—B system sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2. Any gas that does not react with gas can be included in the “inert gas”. When the atmospheric gas pressure inside the diffusion processing unit 10 is close to atmospheric pressure, for example, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the heavy rare earth element RH is transferred from the RH diffusion source 2 to the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1. It becomes difficult to be supplied to. However, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, since the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 are close to or in contact with each other, the supply amount of the heavy rare earth element RH can be increased. For this reason, it is sufficient if the atmospheric gas pressure of the diffusion processing unit 10 is equal to or lower than the atmospheric pressure. The correlation between the degree of vacuum and the supply amount of heavy rare earth element RH is relatively small, and even if the degree of vacuum is further increased, the supply amount of heavy rare earth element RH is not greatly affected. In the present application, the supply amount of the heavy rare earth element RH can be adjusted by managing the temperature of the RTB-based sintered magnet body.

  In the present embodiment, first, the plurality of RTB-based sintered magnet bodies 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 charged in the diffusion processing unit 10 are heated to a temperature of 500 ° C. or higher and 1000 ° C. or lower, Keep in the temperature range. At this time, in this embodiment, the diffusion processing unit 10 is rotated.

  The temperature range of 500 ° C. or more and 1000 ° C. or less is a temperature at which the diffusion of the rare earth element can proceed inside the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1, and the RH diffusion source 2 is converted to the RTB-based sintering. When heat treatment is performed while being in contact with the magnet body 1, the heavy rare earth element RH diffuses into the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and increases its coercive force. The reason why diffusion occurs in such a temperature range is considered to be that the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body are close to or in contact with each other, and the distance between them is sufficiently small.

  The temperature and holding time of the RH diffusion treatment are the ratio of the amount of the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 charged in the RH diffusion process step, and the R-T-B system sintered magnet body. 1, the composition and shape of the RH diffusion source 2, the amount of heavy rare earth element RH (diffusion amount) supplied to the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 by the RH diffusion treatment, and whether or not the stirring auxiliary member is input Determined in consideration of

  In the present embodiment, the RTB system is used in order to rotate the diffusion processing unit in a state in which the RTB system sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are relatively movable and close to or in contact with each other. The sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 move continuously or intermittently. Thereby, the intended RH diffusion can be realized. That is, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are fixed at a fixed location and do not come into contact with or close to each other for a long time, but continuously or intermittently with the RH diffusion source 2. The contact portion with the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 moves or separates. Moreover, during this time, the heavy rare earth element RH can be supplied from the RH diffusion source 2 to the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1.

  In this way, by heating the RH diffusion source 2 containing the heavy rare earth element RH and the R-T-B based sintered magnet body 1 while continuously or intermittently moving, the heavy rare earth element RH is obtained from the RH diffusion source 2. While being supplied to the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1, it can be diffused into the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1.

  In addition, as described above, “loading the RTB-based sintered magnet body and the RH diffusion source so as to be relatively movable and close to or in contact with each other” means the RH diffusion treatment step after the charging step as described above. In this case, the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 move continuously or intermittently in the diffusion processing section, so that the RH diffusion source 2 and the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1 Means to be fixed at a certain place so as not to be constrained by contact or proximity for a long time (for example, at 1000 ° C. for 2 minutes or more). Therefore, in the present invention, as described in Patent Document 1, it is not necessary to arrange the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 at predetermined positions.

[Separation]
Next, step S30 in FIG. 5 is executed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4B, by rotating the diffusion processing unit 10 with the separation unit 20 inclined downward, the RTB-based sintering in the diffusion processing unit 10 is performed. The magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are moved to the separation unit 20. At this time, the first baffle plate 70 conveys the RH diffusion source 2 and the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1 to the separation unit 20, so that the inner wall of the diffusion processing unit 10 as shown in FIG. It connects to a part by welding etc., and follows the rotation of the diffusion process part 10. FIG. Further, even if the baffle plate is not connected to the inner wall portion, the baffle plate may be connected to a shaft extending from the insertion port or the like and rotated independently. The rotation direction of the diffusion processing unit 10 is selected so that the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are moved to the separation unit 20 as the diffusion processing unit 10 rotates.

  The separation unit 20 has a configuration capable of selectively discharging the RH diffusion source 2. In a preferred embodiment, an opening is provided in the inner wall portion of the separation portion 20, and the opening is formed larger than the RH diffusion source 2 and smaller than the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1.

  Examples of the inner wall of the separation part include a net made of a material having heat resistance, or a metal plate provided with a plurality of openings.

  By tilting and rotating the separation unit 20, the RH diffusion source 2 falls to the outside of the separation unit from the opening provided on the inner wall of the separation unit 20 as shown in FIG. 4C (step S40 in FIG. 5). . The separation unit 20 rotates even after the RH diffusion source 2 falls. Since the size of the opening is set so that only the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 remains in the inner wall portion of the separation unit 20, the RH diffusion source 2 of the separation unit 20 is rotated by the rotation of the separation unit 20. It is discharged from the inner wall portion to the outside of the separation portion 20. The dropped RH diffusion source 2 is collected in a container through a valve (not shown).

  Here, when the RH diffusion source 2 remains in the separation unit 20, the separation unit 20 is further returned to the horizontal position, and the bottom of the separation unit is vibrated to remove the RH diffusion source 2 remaining in the separation unit 20. You may make it fall to the outer side of the separation part 20 from an inner wall.

  As another embodiment, instead of the separation unit 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a net is installed as a separation unit on the end face of the diffusion processing unit 10, and only the RH diffusion source is accommodated in the separation unit. Good. At this time, the size of the opening of the net is set so that the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 remains, and when the diffusion processing unit 10 is inclined to the side in contact with the separating unit, the opening of the net is RH. The diffusion source 2 moves to the separation unit, and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 remains in the diffusion processing unit 10.

[Heat treatment]
After the RH diffusion treatment step and the separation step, heat treatment is additionally performed on the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 for the purpose of more uniformly diffusing the diffused heavy rare earth element RH. For this reason, first, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 is returned from the separating unit 20 to the diffusion processing unit 10 again. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 (d), the first baffle plate 70 is rotated in accordance with the rotation of the diffusion processing unit 10 while the separation unit 20 and the diffusion processing unit 10 are inclined downward. The rotation direction of the diffusion processing unit 10 is selected so that the TB sintered magnet body 1 is moved from the separation unit 20 to the diffusion processing unit 10. In this way, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 is moved to the diffusion processing unit 10 as shown in FIG. 4 (d) (step S50 in FIG. 5).

  In addition, when the net is installed on the end face of the diffusion processing unit 10 in another embodiment of the separation unit described above, since the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 is not moved to the separation unit 20, the R- The operation | movement which returns the TB type sintered magnet body 1 from the isolation | separation part 20 to the diffusion process part 10 again becomes unnecessary.

  After returning the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 to the diffusion processing unit 10, heat treatment is performed while rotating the diffusion processing unit. The heat treatment is performed at a temperature of, for example, 500 ° C. to 1000 ° C. (step S60 in FIG. 5). This heat treatment does not cause further supply of the heavy rare earth element RH to the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1, but the heavy rare earth element is present inside the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1. RH diffusion occurs. For this reason, the heavy rare earth element RH diffuses deeply from the surface side of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1, and the coercive force of the entire magnet can be increased. The heat treatment time is, for example, 10 minutes to 72 hours. Preferably it is 1 to 6 hours. Thereafter, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 that has been subjected to the above heat treatment is slowly cooled to lower the temperature of the furnace to room temperature, and then discharged from the inlet 15.

  When the heat treatment is performed in a state where the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are close to each other for a long time, the heavy rare earth element RH is excessively supplied, and the RTB-based sintered magnet body There is a case where a problem that an RH film is formed on the surface of 1 is caused. In the present embodiment, since the heat treatment is performed with the RH diffusion source 2 removed, such a problem can be avoided.

  In the present embodiment, the heavy rare earth element RH is supplied from the surface of the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1 by repeatedly approaching and separating the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2. Since the separation unit for selectively separating the RH diffusion source 2 is provided after the RH diffusion treatment, the process from the RH diffusion treatment step to the heat treatment step can be performed efficiently and smoothly without reducing the residual magnetic flux density. The productivity of the RTB-based sintered magnet with improved coercive force is greatly improved.

By diffusing the heavy rare earth element RH from the outside of the main phase crystal grains, a heavy rare earth substitution layer is formed in the main phase outer shell portion, so that the outer shell of the main phase crystal grains of the RTB-based sintered magnet can be obtained. When the magnetocrystalline anisotropy in the portion is increased, the coercive force H _{cJ of the} entire main phase is effectively improved. In the present invention, the heavy rare earth substitution layer is disposed outside the main phase not only in the region close to the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 but also in the region deep from the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1. Since it can be formed in the shell, the coercive force H _cJ can be improved. On the other hand, the heavy rare earth substitution layer is sufficiently thin and the heavy rare earth element RH is hardly diffused inside the main phase. The density _Br is hardly lowered.

  Further, as described above, according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to place time for arranging the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 at a predetermined position in the RH diffusion processing apparatus. It becomes.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating another configuration of the processing apparatus according to the present embodiment. The processing apparatus of FIG. 7 selectively selects the RH diffusion source from the diffusion processing unit 10 for performing the RH diffusion processing, the RH diffusion source moved from the diffusion processing unit 10 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body. A separation unit 20 for separation and a heat treatment unit 30 for performing heat treatment of the RTB-based sintered magnet body in a state where the RH diffusion source is removed are provided. The separation unit 20 also has a function of sending only the RTB-based sintered magnet body after the RH diffusion treatment to the heat treatment unit 30. In this example, the entire diffusion processing unit 10, separation unit 20, and heat treatment unit 30 can be integrally inclined.

  In the processing apparatus shown in FIG. 7, the separation unit 20 is located between the diffusion processing unit 10 and the heat treatment unit 30, and connects the diffusion processing unit 10 and the heat treatment unit 30. For this reason, the RTB-based sintered magnet body is not exposed to the atmosphere until a series of steps of the RH diffusion treatment step, the RH diffusion source separation step, and the heat treatment step is completed. Further, in the RH diffusion source separation step performed between the RH diffusion treatment step and the heat treatment step, since the RH diffusion source is separated without human intervention, the separation step of the RH diffusion source can be performed without lowering the temperature. It becomes possible to do. As a result, productivity from the RH diffusion treatment process to the heat treatment process is improved.

  The diffusion processing unit 10 is provided with an insertion port 15. From the insertion port 15, the RTB-based sintered magnet body and the RH diffusion source before the RH diffusion treatment are introduced into the diffusion processing unit 10. On the other hand, the heat treatment section 30 is provided with a discharge port 35, and the RTB-based sintered magnet body that has been subjected to the RH diffusion treatment and the heat treatment is taken out from the treatment device.

  Each of the diffusion processing unit 10 and the heat treatment unit 30 connected by the separation unit 20 is composed of a path pipe, and is rotatably supported around a central axis (not shown).

  More specifically, a tilting mechanism 50 that tilts the diffusion processing unit 10, the separation unit 20, and the heat treatment unit 30 is provided, and the diffusion processing unit 10, the separation unit 20, and the heat treatment unit 30 are operated by the tilting mechanism 50. Can be horizontal or inclined. The diffusion processing unit 10, the separation unit 20, and the heat treatment unit 30 can be rotated around the central axis by a motor (not shown). The diffusion processing unit 10, the separation unit 20, and the heat treatment unit 30 can rotate in any of the horizontal state and the inclined state, and the direction and speed of rotation can be arbitrarily set.

  Although the tilt mechanism 50 has been described, the same effect can be obtained even when the entire diffusion processing unit 10, separation unit 20, and heat treatment unit 30 are tilted at a predetermined angle.

  Reference is now made to FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional configuration of the processing apparatus of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the diffusion processing unit 10 has a space for accommodating the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 therein, and rotates in an inclined state, thereby RH diffusion. The source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 can be sent to the separation unit 20. The heat treatment part 30 has a space for accommodating the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1, and this also rotates in an inclined state, whereby the R-T-B system sintered magnet body 1 is removed from the discharge port 35. Can be sent to. The separation unit 20 also rotates in an inclined state, so that only the RH diffusion source 2 can be efficiently discharged out of the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1.

  The material of the diffusion processing unit 10 has heat resistance that can withstand temperatures of about 500 to 1000 ° C., and at least the inner wall portion is made of a material that does not easily react with the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2. Preferably it is formed. The inner wall portion of the diffusion processing unit 10 can be formed of, for example, Nb, Mo, W, Ta metal or an alloy containing at least one of them. Moreover, you may use a Fe-Cr-Al type alloy and a Fe-Cr-Co type alloy for the inner wall part of the diffusion process part 10. FIG. The same applies to the separation unit 20 and the heat treatment unit 30.

  Also in FIG. 8, a spiral first baffle plate 70 is provided inside the diffusion processing unit 10. The first baffle plate 70 can send the internal RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 to the separation unit 20 when the diffusion processing unit 10 rotates in the first direction. When rotating in the second direction opposite to the first direction, the RH diffusion source 2 and the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 can be held inside the diffusion processing unit 10. Similarly, a spiral second baffle plate 80 shown in FIG. 3B is provided inside the heat treatment section 30. The second baffle plate 80 is disposed so that the helical twist direction is opposite to the first baffle plate 70. As a result, the second baffle plate 80 holds the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 in the separation part 20 in the separation part 20 when the heat treatment part 30 rotates in the first direction. When rotating in the direction, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 in the separation unit 20 can be sent into the heat treatment unit 30.

  The first baffle plate 70 and the second baffle plate 80 are usually fixed to the inner wall portion. The distance between the inner wall portion 14 and the first baffle plate 70 and the second baffle plate 80 is set so that the RH diffusion source and the R-T-B system sintered magnet body to be introduced do not leak down.

  Next, the operation of another processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[RH diffusion processing]
First, as shown in step S110 of FIG. 10, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are loaded into the diffusion processing unit 10 shown in FIG. 9A. At this time, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are mixed in advance and filled in a feeder (not shown). Here, the size of the RH diffusion source 2 is adjusted to be smaller than that of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1.

  A feeder (not shown) is inserted into the diffusion processing unit 10 with vibrations or tilted inlets. If the diffusion processing unit 10 is rotated here, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 can be smoothly inserted into the diffusion processing unit 10.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9A, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are added to the diffusion processing unit 10 while the diffusion processing unit 10, the separation unit 20, and the heat treatment unit 30 remain horizontal. May be charged using a screw conveyor.

  Next, the RH diffusion process shown in step S120 of FIG. 10 is started. In this RH diffusion treatment, both the loaded RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are agitated by rotating the diffusion processing section 10 in the state shown in FIG. 9A. RH diffusion treatment is performed while heating. At this time, it is preferable that the diffusion processing unit 10 rotates in a horizontal state.

  Other implementation conditions in the RH diffusion process are the same as those described with reference to FIG.

[Separation]
Next, step S130 of FIG. 10 is executed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9B, the diffusion processing unit 10 is rotated in an inclined state, whereby the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are separated by the separation unit 20. Move to.

  At this time, the first baffle plate 70 is rotated by the rotation of the diffusion processing unit 10 by rotating the rotation direction of the diffusion processing unit 10 in the direction opposite to that during the RH diffusion processing. The body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 can be moved to the separation unit 20.

  An opening is provided in the inner wall portion of the separation unit 20, and as shown in FIG. 9C, the RH diffusion source 2 falls from the opening provided in the inner wall portion of the separation unit 20 to the outside of the separation unit ( In step S140 in FIG. 10, the RH diffusion source 2 can be selectively discharged outside the separation unit.

  Here, the size of the opening is set to be larger than the size of the RH diffusion source 2 and smaller than the size of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1.

  With this setting, the diffusion processing unit 10 is rotated in an inclined state, whereby the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are moved to the separation unit 20. The TB sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 are separated, and only the RH diffusion source 2 is discharged to the outside of the separation unit. In a preferred embodiment, the inner wall portion may have a mesh shape or a structure in which a plurality of openings are provided in a metal plate.

  Here, in the case where the stirring assisting member is used, the stirring assisting member is discharged from the separation unit together with the RH diffusion source to the outside of the RTB-based sintered magnet body and the separation unit, or together with the RH diffusion source, the separation unit. Whether it is not discharged to the outside is arbitrarily determined according to the shape, weight, etc. of the RTB-based sintered magnet body.

  Further, after the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 move to the separation unit 20, the separation unit 20 is returned to the horizontal position, and the separation unit 20 is vibrated to screen out the RH diffusion source 2. A mechanism may be further provided.

[Heat treatment]
After the RH diffusion treatment step, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 is heat treated for the purpose of more uniformly diffusing the diffused heavy rare earth element RH. For this reason, first, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 is moved from the separation unit 20 to the heat treatment unit 30. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9D, the heat treatment unit 30 is rotated in an appropriate direction while the separation unit 20 and the heat treatment unit 30 are inclined. At this time, the 2nd baffle plate 80 is installed so that the RTB system sintered magnet body 1 may be moved to the heat processing part 30 with rotation of the heat processing part 30 (step S150 of FIG. 10). In this way, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 is moved to the heat treatment section 30 as shown in FIG.

  The heat treatment is performed at a temperature of, for example, 500 ° C. to 1000 ° C. (step S160 in FIG. 10). This heat treatment does not cause further supply of the heavy rare earth element RH to the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1, but the heavy rare earth element is present inside the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1. RH diffusion occurs. For this reason, the heavy rare earth element RH diffuses deeply from the surface side of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1, and the coercive force of the entire magnet can be increased. The heat treatment time is 10 minutes to 72 hours. Preferably it is 1 to 6 hours. The RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 that has been heat-treated is slowly cooled to lower the temperature of the furnace to room temperature, and then discharged from the discharge port 35.

  In this embodiment, since the heat treatment is performed in a state where the RH diffusion source 2 is removed, the problem of generating an RH coating on the surface of the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 can be avoided.

  Also in the present embodiment, after the RH diffusion process of supplying the heavy rare earth element RH from the surface of the RTB system sintered magnet body by repeatedly approaching and separating the RTB system sintered magnet body and the RH diffusion source. Since the separation part for selectively separating the RH diffusion source is provided, the process from the RH diffusion treatment process to the heat treatment process can be performed efficiently and smoothly, and the coercive force is improved without reducing the residual magnetic flux density. The productivity of the RTB-based sintered magnet is greatly improved.

  In the example of FIG. 9, the first baffle plate 70 is provided in the diffusion processing unit 10, but the first baffle plate 70 may be disposed on the separation unit 20 side, You may arrange | position over both the isolation | separation parts 20. FIG. Similarly, the second baffle plate 80 may be disposed on the separation unit 20 side, or may be disposed across both the separation unit 20 and the heat treatment unit 30.

  Since the first baffle plate 70 and the second baffle plate 80 are arranged so that the twist directions are opposite to each other, when the state changes from the state of FIG. 9B to the state of FIG. 9C, R− The TB sintered magnet body 1 can be prevented from moving to the heat treatment section 30. If the second baffle plate 80 is arranged to move the first baffle plate 70 in parallel, the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 passes through the separation portion and reaches the heat treatment portion 30. Will reach.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the time for placing the RTB-based sintered magnet body 1 and the RH diffusion source 2 at a predetermined position in the RH diffusion processing apparatus is not required.

  The present invention can be applied to the production of an RTB-based sintered magnet having a high residual magnetic flux density and a high coercive force. Such a magnet is suitable for various motors such as a motor for mounting on a hybrid vehicle exposed to high temperatures, home appliances, and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 RTB system sintered magnet body 2 RH diffusion source 10 Diffusion processing part 14 Inner wall part 15 Input port 20 Separation part 30 Heat treatment part 35 Outlet port 50 Inclination mechanism 70 1st baffle plate 80 2nd baffle plate

Claims (12)

An RH diffusion source made of a metal or an alloy of heavy rare earth element RH (consisting of at least one of Dy and Tb) and a diffusion treatment section that rotates while heating the RTB-based sintered magnet body;
A separation unit that is adjacent to the diffusion processing unit and rotates to selectively separate the RH diffusion source from the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body delivered from the diffusion processing unit;
A tilt mechanism for tilting the diffusion processing section and the separation section;
A processing apparatus comprising:   The separation part has a plurality of openings for discharging the RH diffusion source to the outside of the separation part, and the size of the opening is smaller than that of the RTB-based sintered magnet body. The processing apparatus as described in. While the separation unit is rotated, the RTB-based sintered magnet body is sent to the diffusion processing unit,
The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the diffusion processing unit performs a heat treatment on the RTB-based sintered magnet body that has moved from the separation unit. The diffusion processing part has a first outer wall part that houses the first inner wall part,
The separation part has a second outer wall part that houses the second inner wall part,
4. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the first inner wall portion is cylindrical and made of a metal or an alloy made of at least one of Mo, W, Nb, and Ta. 5.   The processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a sheet-like buffer member is disposed between the first inner wall portion and the first outer wall portion or between the second inner wall portion and the second outer wall portion. . A spiral baffle plate is provided on the inner wall of the diffusion processing unit,
When the baffle plate of the diffusion processing unit rotates in the first direction, the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body in the diffusion processing unit are sent to the separation unit, and the first The RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body in the diffusion processing unit are held in the diffusion processing unit when rotating in a second direction opposite to the one direction. The processing apparatus in any one. An RH diffusion source made of a metal or an alloy of heavy rare earth element RH (consisting of at least one of Dy and Tb) and a diffusion treatment section that rotates while heating the RTB-based sintered magnet body;
A separation unit that is adjacent to the diffusion processing unit and rotates to selectively separate the RH diffusion source from the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body delivered from the diffusion processing unit;
The RTB-based sintered magnet body adjacent to the separation unit and having the heavy rare earth element RH diffused in the diffusion processing unit is subjected to heat treatment while rotating with the RH diffusion source removed. A heat treatment section to be performed;
An inclination mechanism for inclining at least the diffusion treatment part, the separation part and the heat treatment part;
A processing apparatus comprising:   The separation unit discharges the RH diffusion source to the outside of the separation unit while moving the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body sent from the diffusion processing unit to the heat treatment unit. The processing apparatus according to claim 7, comprising a plurality of openings. The diffusion processing unit has a cylindrical first inner wall that accommodates the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body, and is rotated while the RH diffusion source and the RT -Send the B-based sintered magnet body to the separation part,
The separation part accommodates the RH diffusion source and the RTB-based sintered magnet body, and has a cylindrical second inner wall part provided with an opening, and is rotated while being rotated. Discharging the source from the opening to the outside, and sending the RTB-based sintered magnet body to the heat treatment unit;
The heat treatment portion has a cylindrical third inner wall portion that accommodates the RTB-based sintered magnet body, and the RTB-based sintered magnet body is rotated while being rotated by a driving portion. The processing device according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the processing device is sent to a discharge port. A spiral baffle plate is provided on the inner wall of the diffusion treatment part and the heat treatment part,
The processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the baffle plate of the diffusion processing unit is held so that a spiral direction is opposite to that of the baffle plate of the heat treatment unit. The diffusion processing part has a first outer wall part that houses the first inner wall part,
The separation part has a second outer wall part that houses the second inner wall part,
The heat treatment part has a third outer wall part for accommodating a third inner wall part,
The processing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein at least the first inner wall portion and the third inner wall portion are cylindrical and made of a metal or alloy made of at least one of Mo, W, Nb, and Ta. The processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a sheet-like buffer member is disposed between the first inner wall portion and the first outer wall portion.

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